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A Lesson in Betrayal, Part Six
'''Team Titan Think Tank. '''Issue 13- "A Lesson in Betrayal" (Part Six.) Front cover- Sonne and Sonne fire their beams at each other in a struggle, meeting in the centre of the cover, as both their rockets fly them in the air. The issue opens with Mr Psychic, as he walks down a corridor, one hand on his cane going TAP TAP TAP on the floor, the other hand going to his monocle, which glows red as the comic shows the view through the monocle. He sees the infa-red human outline skulking down the corridor ahead of him. The monocle zooms in... the signature is clearly Games Master. "Ah, if it isn't the fellow who loves electronic entertainment. Do come out of hiding, you're rather safe." The Games Master remains invisible. "Ah, so you sense me?" He moves closer. "Quite so, my good man. That's the power of sensory enhancement devices at work." "So, any ideas what the puzzle is this time?" The comic shows the infra-red shape pause, he is crouched. "Afraid not, old chap. Barring navigation of this funfair maze, of course." "Then I'll race you to the exit-" He's off down the corridor, before he finishes his sentence, in a blur of motion. GM runs down free different corridors at great dseed, as they zig zag across each other. He comes screeching to a halt not far behind Tonic, as he sees beyond her, Reb, trapped in iron bands, Tops towering over him, another Reb and Rob behind. And as the reader sees through GM's eyes, he also sees the infa-red signature of another GM stood 'invisible' next to Reb. Unseen by Tonic, GM moves past her, keeping out of the direct vision of the other GM as he hugs the right wall and then moves behind the other GM, peering round him, looking closely at the iron bands surrounding Reb's arms and legs. He reaches around his double, as the comic zooms in one weak points in the bands, as GM squeezes them and snaps them, freeing Reb completely. Reb cannot see GM, so instead just sees the bands seemingly shatter of their own accord. Reb wipes tears away as the confusion increases. The other GM looks in confusion as the GM behind him moves his hands back quickly before they are spotted. He looks completely confused, looking left and right as the GM behind him moves flat against the wall. "Mr Psychic!!?" he yells down the corridor, looking right, behind Tonic. "You've got it wrong, this isn't the real Reb!" he yells. Reb is then hauled up off his feet by the closest Games Master, as his feet kick futilely in the air. "HUH? WHA!" "This Reb attacked us!" the false GM calls down the corridor, still invisible. "We can talk this out!" "I didn't attack anyone! That Reb did! He totally made his Rob attack me and my Rob! And if he was the real me he's in so much trouble! Laura always said no fighting with the kids in class! And if he's real then I believe I'm in his class, and if I'm real he believe he's in mine...so if he's real, then he just broke Laura's second rule of going to school!" "R.Reb...you know y...you s...shouldn't t...tell lies...Laura t...told you that t...tooo..." Tonic shakes her head. "But.. but he's... I don't want Laura to be angry!" says the other Reb "ROB, stand down!" "AFFIRMATIVE!" says one. "OPERATION PROTECTION INITATED." The Rob of the grpapled Reb's claw hands reach out for Reb, seemingly hovering in the air. The claws lock on to Reb and begin tugging to no avail, then the left claw pops off as if Reb was the prize in a claw machine. "ERROR! ILLOGICAL BARRIER TO OPERATION! CONCLUSION- CHANGE OPERATION PARARIMETERS." he is unable to remove Reb from the false GM's grasp We cut back to the Sonne's and Cain. "I'm telling you, Cain. I'm the real Gunn, and to prove it..." Gunn tries to heave his zero point energy beam around, but the Dopplegunn resists. "I'm going to surrender my one advantage here." he cuts the power to the null point energy beam, as the other Gunn drops to the ground. "Its just a trick, Cain", says the released Gunn. "Standard training tactics. He'll get your trust so he can get the upper hand... BAM! Cos really, he's just a training sim." He stands in a defensive posture towards Gunn. "Only together, can we take this guy." "I trust you'll make the right choice, Cain. I'm not going to argue anymore." "He's right. He is me, afterall. And devilshly handsome. So what is it gonna be, Cain?" We cut to Mr Psychic, once again, walking with his cane lightly TAP TAP TAPPING. He stops, and looks up as comes out of one of the three branches of corridor to find Tonic crawling across the ceiling. "My word. I was aware of your ability to travel through objects, but not in your defiance of physics. Hmm... which I suppose is a defiance of physics in itself, travelling through walls." "A...and if t..t.here's a f...fake me w...walking around...it s...shouldn't either... S...so...M...Mr Psychic...t...tell me s...something only the r...real y...you w...would know..." "A fake you, you say? My dear, that is only a reflection in the mirror." "S...Something y...you n...need to realise, M...Mr Psychic...Is that I c...can't see reflections. N...now a...answer m...my question..." "Most intriguing... Anyway, something the real me would know? Well, my original cohorts were known as Lightning Girl and Captain Dynamo. We headed a team known as the Terrific Trio in the 1960s against the forces of Blitzkrieg and his rogue's den." "A...anybody with a...access to y...your record w...would know that." "Ah, you do have me there. Well, my disappearance for the last four decades was due to cross-dimensional escapades. Or would one assume that to also be the case normally?" "A...also i...in your r...records...I...I'd guess..." "Hmm... More on the subject, I was chosen along with the others by the Overseers. I helped lead a team known as the Super Substitutes, alongside two fellows known as Random Man and Invisible Flying Guy as we saved a dimension that could access all other dimensions." "S...Still s...sounds l...like an em...employee r...record... Sorry..." "Well... broomsticks..." She looks intently at his top hat, which he suddenly grabs; his waistcoat jacket turns into water, completely drenching him and the top hat that he wears also gets exposed to it. "My goodness. My dear, I'll have you know that this suit cost seven hundred and forty six pounds sterling and thirty five new pence." And then sparks fly from the top hat, as Psychic yelps and it flies from his hands. Smoke comes from the circuitry inside the top hat. We cut to the Yus and Mister Tops; the injured Yu looks behind him to the one attacking him, then back to Tops "Mister Tops, I have made a terrible mistake.. it seems I misjudged you!" He kicks backwards. "For THIS is the fake!" Yu kicks the other Yu hard in the stomach, winding the other. "You know what, YOU'RE the one that tried to hurt me so thats- TOSSSSSSH!" Tops roars. Both Tops and Yu attack in unison again. Yu coughs out the contents of his lungs, before recovering enough to whirl his staff upwards at the other Yu, gritting his teeth and stepping in alongside Mr. Tops, as Yu smacks the other Yu on the back of the head, and Tops get him in the nose, at the same time. CRUNCH. We cut to the hat-less Mr Psychic ss he faces one of the Tonics. "Now then, young lady. I do not wish to engage in combat with you if I see no need to. But your mention of fakes does intrigue me. Do you perhaps have any evidence that you yourself are not one of these devious doppelgangers?" With his jacket gone, he now stands in a soaked white shirt and stained pink trousers, trouser braces clear over his shirt. "...N...no fake c...could e...exhibit a p...power I h...have n...no record of e...ever dis...displaying. Why w...would it...it'd be i..instantly s...suspicious..." "Your logic is quite sound indeed. Perhaps if I were to show you a new trinket of mine that I have not put to use just yet." Mr Psychic pulls up a sleeve and reveals a wrist watch. He then clicks two buttons in a left and right rhythm three times. A ripple of pink energy flickers out from the wristwatch, which overlays over Mr Psychic, as he no longer looks wet.. his suit jacket is pristeen and returned, and Tonic is wearing a Victorian evening gown, which, as she is on the ceiling, is flouncing massvily donwards, revealing a complex layer of stockings and undergarters. "Rather a useful new ability I would say. Disguises will certainly be necessary for our journey into Titan City." "I..interesting...s...shame I can s...see straigh t..t.hrough it but...using a p..power I d...didn't know you w...were using i...isn't the s...same as one n...nobody knew e...existed... C...could be p..programmed to r...react to m...my actions..." "Well, I suppose I am unable to convince you in that case. Do be careful up there, my good lady. I shall go and search for this double you appear to be convinced of. If you wish to follow I won't stop you. Cheerio." He makes a hat tipping motion and walks off, going back the way he came, his hat tipping motion with an illusory hat, of course. As the comic shows the real hat still smoking on the floor We cut to Cain and the Sonnes. "Difficult, to be sure." Cain concedes, still crackling, "So I suppose the next question is... why shouldn't I blast the both of you?" "Because then you'd suck at the training sim YOU designed" said the furthest Sonne. "Which, if you did that, would mean, you're definitely a fake, handbag." "He has got a point. Did I mention, he's handsome?" says the other Sonne Cain tuts, shaking his now light blue head. "It's funny, Gunn. Two legendary egos clash, and *still* you can always tell the real one." And with that he arches forward, and forked lightning barrels down the corridor, riddling the armour of the nearer Gunn, who convulses, his suit sparking. He collapses, and then winks out of existance. Knew you'd make the right choice", says the true Gunn. End of issue